Highly flexible mapping and treatment device

Abstract

A device and system for providing mapping and treatment capabilities without increasing stiffness of the device. An embodiment of a device may include a flexible elongate body and at least one mapping element on the distal portion of the elongate body. Each mapping element may be an area of thermally conductive material, such as metallic nanoparticles, that is embedded within, integrated with, or deposited on the elongate body. The flexibility of the areas of thermally conductive material is at least substantially the same as that of the elongate body so the device may include many electrodes without compromising flexibility and maneuverability of the device. Alternatively, the device may include a treatment element coupled to the elongate body, such as a balloon. The mapping elements may be embedded within, integrated with, or deposited on the balloon and may have at least substantially the same flexibility as that of the balloon.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A medical device comprising:
 an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having: an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface; and the distal portion being transitionable between a first substantially linear configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration being selected from the group consisting of a curvilinear, a looped, and an expanded configuration; and 
 a detachable distal tip element attached to the distal portion of the elongate body including:
 a body having an elongated cylindrical dome shape formed by nylon, polyurethane, and/or polydimethylsiloxane and having a first flexibility; 
 a barbed stem proximal to the body and configured to be received within the distal portion of the elongate body, the barbed stem being composed of a second material different than the first material with a lower flexibility than the first material; and 
 at least one mapping element comprising thermally conductive nanoparticles integrated and coplanar with an outer surface of the body such that the at least one mapping element does not protrude beyond the outer surface of the body and the at least one mapping element has a flexibility or compliance that is at least substantially the same as the flexibility or compliance of the body. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles are composed of at least one of platinum and platinum-iridium. 
     
     
       3. The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate body comprises a mapping element comprising thermally conductive material. 
     
     
       4. The medical device of  claim 3 , wherein the detachable distal tip element has a circumference, each of the at least one mapping elements extending around less than an entirety of the circumference. 
     
     
       5. A medical system comprising:
 a medical device comprising:
 an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having: an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface; and the distal portion being transitionable between a first substantially linear configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration being selected from the group consisting of a curvilinear, a looped, and an expanded configuration; and 
 a detachable distal tip element attached to the distal portion of the elongate body including:
 a body having an elongated cylindrical dome shape formed by nylon, polyurethane, and/or polydimethylsiloxane and having a first flexibility; 
 a barbed stem proximal to the body and configured to be received within the distal portion of the elongate body, the barbed stem being composed of a second material different than the first material with a lower flexibility than the first material; and 
 at least one mapping element comprising thermally conductive nanoparticles integrated and coplanar with an outer surface of the body such that the at least one mapping element does not protrude beyond the outer surface of the body and the at least one mapping element has a flexibility or compliance that is at least substantially the same as the flexibility or compliance of the body; and 
 
 a control unit in communication with the medical device. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The medical system of  claim 5 , wherein the detachable distal tip element has a circumference, each of the at least one mapping elements extending around less than an entirety of the circumference. 
     
     
       7. The medical system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one mapping element includes a plurality of mapping electrodes spaced apart from each other and extending along a distance of the elongate body in a distal-to-proximal direction. 
     
     
       8. A medical system comprising:
 a medical device comprising:
 an elongate body having an inner surface and an exterior surface opposite the inner surface, the elongate body further having an at least substantially continuous circumference, the elongate body being transitionable between a first substantially linear configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration being selected from the group consisting of a curvilinear, a looped, and an expanded configuration; 
 a detachable distal tip element attached to the distal portion of the elongate body including:
 a body having an elongated cylindrical dome shape formed by nylon, polyurethane, and/or polydimethylsiloxane and having a first flexibility; 
 a barbed stem proximal to the body and configured to be received within a distal portion of the elongate body, the barbed stem being composed of a second material different than the first material with a lower flexibility than the first material; and 
 a plurality of electrodes on the body that are configured to record at least one impedance measurement, the plurality of electrodes being integrated and coplanar with an outer surface of the body such that the plurality of electrodes do not protrude beyond the outer surface of the body, each of the plurality of electrodes being an area of thermally conductive nanoparticles composed of at least one of platinum, and platinum-iridium, each of the plurality of electrodes extending around less than an entirety of the circumference of the body and the at least one mapping element has a flexibility or compliance that is at least substantially the same as the flexibility or compliance of the body; and 
 
 
 a control unit in communication with the medical device and configured to receive the at least one impedance measurement from the plurality of electrodes and to assess a formation of a lesion in an area of tissue based on the at least one impedance measurement.